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A Fine Depiction of Japan and Korea by The Most Influential Italian Mapmaker of the 17th Century

Nice example of Coronelli's important map of Japan and Korea, published in Venice.

Coronelli presents a detailed and imaginative depiction of Japan and Korea, which reflects the geographical knowledge of the region as understood by European scholars in the late 17th century, merging information from Dutch mariners' charts and Jesuit sources with Coronelli's own stylistic flourishes.

The map is notable for its depiction of the island of Ezo (now Hokkaido) labeled as "Tartari de Yupi," reflecting the limited European understanding of the region at the time. The seas between Japan and Korea are adorned with an illustration of a vessel described as a Japanese boat, though it was in reality a Korean ship, capable of covering the distance between Osaka and Nagasaki, approximately 220 French miles, in twelve days. This information was drawn from Montanus, a Dutch historian whose works were influential in shaping European perceptions of Japan, albeit with some inaccuracies.

Coronelli's map also demonstrates the influence of the Jesuit priest and mapmaker Martini's depiction of Honshu, though the mountain ranges are rendered with a pictorial style that is distinctly Coronelli's own. In the Sea of Japan, the map features an Italianate vessel, rowing across the waves with a large bank of twenty oars, representing the route from Nagasaki to Osaka.

Transcription and Translation of Latin Notes

- (Upper Right Corner):

Transcription: "Matsmaye, è Città capitale de Yupi, e seggio del loro Governatore. Trafficano castoro colli Giapponesi di Pelli preziose, di Piume ed Uccelli. Gli Habitatori vestono alla Giapponese, vivono di legumi d’ogni sorte abbondano di Pesci, Lardo, e d’Oglio di Balena, di cui parimente si nodriscono."

Translation: "Matsmaye is the capital city of Yupi, and the seat of their Governor. They trade beaver skins with the Japanese for precious furs, feathers, and birds. The inhabitants dress in the Japanese manner, live on all sorts of legumes, and are abundant in fish, lard, and whale oil, which they also consume."

- (Center-Left, near the boat):

Transcription: "Questo Nautilo, è usitato dalle Giapponesi, da loro chiamato Tayfuna ch’ ordinariamente ha 20 remi per parte e la Prora in forma d’Elefante, et alla Poppa ha un specchio assai grande con una Camera, e Timone alla Portughesse, quale viaggia con tanto celerità ch’in giorni 12, và da Osacca a Nangasacqui che sono in distanza di 220 Leghe di Francia per mare."

Translation: "This vessel, used by the Japanese and called Tayfuna, ordinarily has 20 oars on each side, with the prow shaped like an elephant, and at the stern a large mirror with a chamber and a Portuguese-style rudder, which travels with such speed that in 12 days, it goes from Osaka to Nagasaki, a distance of 220 French leagues by sea."

-(Lower Left, Peninsula of Korea):

Transcription: "Questa Penisola di Corea che da alcuno si crede Isola viene chiamata Carey, Tiocencouk e Caoli."

Translation: "This Peninsula of Korea, which some believe to be an island, is called Carey, Tiocencouk, and Caoli."

This map is an excellent example of Coronelli's cartographic skill and his ability to blend factual information with imaginative elements. The map is valuable not only for its geographical details but also for the cultural and trade information it provides about the regions depicted. The vignettes and illustrations further enhance the map's appeal, offering a glimpse into the 17th-century European understanding of East Asia.